Fed up with swiping: Why singles are returning to IRL dating
Ofcom study shows monthly dating app usage drops from four to three hours as singles in Guildford turn to in-real-life events for better value.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Time spent on dating apps dropped from a peak of four hours in 2023 to three hours last year per Ofcom.
- Singles in Guildford note offline dating events offer better value and a chance to meet diverse people.
- Monthly dating costs including apps, entertainment, and clothes can add up to around £130.
- Match Group survey reveals 21% of baby boomers met their recent partner at pubs, bars, or clubs.
Checking in at a dating event in a bar in Guildford, Olivia Miller-Davis admits she feels understandably apprehensive. Even bringing a close friend along fails to completely eliminate the awkwardness at the start of the evening. According to a recent study by online regulator Ofcom, 11% of adults use dating sites, but the time spent on them is declining, falling from a peak of nearly four hours a month in 2023 down to three hours last year.
Olivia's first match of the night, Edward, shares the sentiment that recent dating trends leave him feeling cold. The event is organized by Love at First Sign, a dating company using an app to match attendees based on astrological connections, though most participants merely use it as an icebreaker. Lissy Cleminson, director of events, explains that dating habits are shifting, driven largely by increased home working since Covid, which deprives people of office meetings and commutes.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
As expected at a singles mixer, many attendees expressed an eager desire for that in-real-life or IRL experience. TikTok and Instagram are flooded with #SingleTok and #Singlelife accounts reviewing these physical gatherings. Candice Gallagher, who runs the account @Candilicious and recently attended 10 dating events in 10 weeks, views the trend through an entrepreneurial lens, arguing that offline events deliver a much greater return on investment. The 40-year-old notes that online dating all too frequently leads to chat graveyards with severely restricted conversations.
"You get to meet a range of people in person for a similar cost to one date from an app."
Event attendee in Guildford
Many participants in Guildford agreed that live dating events offer superior value for money because tickets typically cost between £15 and £30, often including a drink and icebreaking activities supported by an app. Olivia believes financial factors weigh heavily on modern dating, and she is far from alone in finding digital dating expensive. More than a quarter of daters surveyed by Barclays indicated that rising costs have altered their dating habits, while studies show monthly expenses—spanning apps, entertainment, and wardrobe—can total around £130.
From an analytical perspective, the rising phenomenon of swipe fatigue highlights a deep psychological exhaustion with digital platforms, where sheer volume fails to translate into meaningful relationship quality. The pivot toward offline events is not merely about financial pragmatism; it directly addresses a fundamental human need for physical presence, facial cues, and body language that algorithmic matching simply cannot replicate.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
App operators are quick to emphasize that digital platforms remain a vital channel for meeting people. New research from Match Group, parent company of Tinder and Hinge, suggests that among surveyed single people who had relationships, about 21% of baby boomers met their most recent partner at a pub, bar, or club. Meanwhile, 20% found their partner on a dating app and another 20% through friends. Chine Mmegwa, head of strategy, corporate development and operations at Match Group, stated that Tinder rolled out service adjustments over the past year to win back younger users, including interactive music and astrology features alongside a double date mode. She added that Tinder is actively pushing IRL experiences across the US and UK. Back in Guildford, Olivia considers her night a success after meeting men she might want to date, though when pressed by the BBC about whether she found 'the one,' she simply laughs and remains guarded.
Source: BBC Business
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